Congressman David Schweikert | Congressman David Schweikert Official U.S. Senate headshot
Congressman David Schweikert | Congressman David Schweikert Official U.S. Senate headshot
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives David Schweikert (AZ-01) and Greg Stanton (AZ-04) are celebrating the passage of their bipartisan legislation in the House that aims to expand affordable pumped storage hydropower in Arizona. The bill enables the exploration of constructing additional pumped storage hydropower facilities in the Salt River reservoir system. This development is expected to keep energy costs low for Arizonans, stabilize the state's electric grid during peak demand, and boost the supply of affordable and reliable energy.
Pumped storage hydroelectricity is a technology that allows water to be pumped from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir when energy demand is low. When energy demand is high and power is needed on the grid, the water from the upper reservoir is released downhill back into the lower reservoir, running through hydropower turbines that generate reliable energy for up to 10-12 hours.
Representative Schweikert expressed his satisfaction with the passage of the legislation, stating, "I am glad to see the House come together to pass our legislation which enables the development of additional pumped-storage hydropower sites on the Salt River, further increasing the supply of affordable and reliable energy for communities across central Arizona." He emphasized the importance of embracing long-term energy storage technologies to lower costs for Arizona residents.
Representative Stanton also expressed his pride in the passage of the bill, highlighting the benefits of pumped storage projects in providing flexibility and improving reliability in the energy grid, while also reducing utility costs for Arizona families and businesses.
This bipartisan bill has received support beyond the House as well. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) commended the legislation, stating, "By increasing hydropower production, H.R. 1607 will help provide affordable energy to thousands of Americans in Arizona who have borne the brunt of skyrocketing energy costs under President Biden." He thanked Representative Schweikert for his work in getting the bill passed and expressed hope for its passage in the Senate.
The Salt River Project (SRP), a major utility provider in Arizona, also expressed support for the legislation. SRP's General Manager and CEO, Jim Pratt, stated, "SRP applauds House passage of H.R. 1607, a bill that will enable further evaluation of pumped storage sites for long duration energy storage resources." He emphasized the increasing need for reliable long-duration storage to meet SRP's projected customer growth and energy demand.
The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration. Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema introduced companion legislation in the Senate earlier this year, demonstrating bipartisan support for the initiative.
The passage of this bill in the House marks an important step towards expanding affordable pumped storage hydropower in Arizona. If the legislation becomes law, it will contribute to the state's efforts to provide low-cost and reliable energy to its residents while addressing the challenges of an increasing population and growing energy demand.
Click this link to access more information: https://schweikert.house.gov/2023/11/07/house-passes-schweikert-stanton-bill-expanding-affordable-pumped-storage-hydropower-in-arizona/
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